Guadeloupe islands by Swé

I was looking for a great video clip about Guadeloupe islands to share with you guys.
My wish was to make you experience Music, in Guadeloupe, through pictures.
I remember I was on YouTube when my husband arrived and told me that I absolutely had to look at the video clip PAPYON of Swé ! I really enjoyed it and I thought that it would be really interesting to meet Swé and to get an overview of Guadeloupe islands through her eyes.

Swé is one of the best new generation singers in Guadeloupe. She is a great representation of guadeloupean music because she sings : Dance-hall, Hip-hop, Reggae, Zouk and Soul ! Young people say : Swé gets “the flow” !
Don’t worry if you don’t know what I’m talking about. I will write a post on our Music in Guadeloupe Islands !

I would like to thanks Swé for the interview because she is really involved in the promotion of Guadeloupe islands and her bursts of laughter are just awesome !

Enjoy the video clip PAPYON !!! (it’s better in HD)

PAPYON means butterfly in creole and we say that Guadeloupe main island is a butterfly.

You can find the main places of the videoclip below

0’30 : the “Cascade aux écrevisses” (crayfish waterfalls) | Pointe-Noire on the road called the Mamelles or Traversée road

2’11 : Statue of Joseph Ignace | Baimbridge, Abymes. He is a famous figure of slavery in Guadeloupe.

2’17 : Statue of Mulâtresse Solitude | Baimbridge, Abymes. She is a famous figure of slavery in Guadeloupe.

3’08 : Coffee Museum | Vieux-habitants

Can you share with us something you “love” in Guadeloupe Islands ? Something you do only in Guadeloupe ?

I love “water” ! I like river because river makes you feel good. It’s like a sport session, after a bath in the river, you feel healthy. Generally, I like all the rivers in Guadeloupe and currently I’m used to go in the “rivière rouge” (red river) in Saint-Claude (Basse-Terre island). I think that the best moment is during the afternoon with some friends.

What is your favorite place in Guadeloupe Islands ?

I don’t know what is my favorite place in Guadeloupe. Basically, I don’t like to choose one place and overall I think that I don’t have ONE favorite place in Guadeloupe. I can not choose between of the beauties of Guadeloupean Islands.
Beyond a location, I’m attached to the smells in Guadeloupe : food smell, rain smell and also the sounds : sound of rain on the roofing sheets.

Can you share with us a childhood memory ?

I remember that with my dad and cousins we used to do a tour of Basse-Terre island. My dad rented a van and on the early morning we left for several stops. We did bath stops like in Dolé hotsprings (Gourbeyre), in beaches of Deshaies and also stops for eating yummy specialties !

It’s a great experience to enjoy a tour of Basse-Terre island. You begin in the early morning with a planned (or not!) tour with several stops and on the afternoon you just lying on one of the amazing beach.
I also highly advise to stop on the road in the “fruit trucks” to consume fresh fruit like watermelon and pineapple.

As you grew-up in Paris, do you have a different perspective on Guadeloupe life ?

I think that I may have more hindsight, I’m less chauvinistic because in my life I experience different cultures, different social classes and I think it helps me a lot to have hindsight.
My experience with Guadeloupe is kind of : “I love you me neither”.
I love to be in Guadeloupe Island it’s a kind of introspection and I need it. However I also like to discover other countries, other cultures which helps me a lot to appreciate much better Guadeloupe islands. Even in my music, Guadeloupe is always present. For example, I almost only sing in Creole but I need to discover and confront myself with outside to improve my own music.

For you what is the uniqueness of Guadeloupe?

First, I believe that our singularity and our strength is our “Mix”. We are a mix of several cultures : african, indian and european and sometimes we (guadeloupeans) are not enough conscious of that.
Second, I think that you should absolutely meet and become friends with one guadeloupean because meet one guadeloupean is meet Guadeloupe. It’s the best way to discover Guadeloupe!

What can you advise to someone who wants to visit Guadeloupe from inside ?

I should advise to visit with my friends who know all the good places, for example : the “Cascade aux écrevisses” (crayfish waterfalls) on the road called the Mamelles or Traversée road, “les chutes du Carbet” (Carbet waterfalls) in Capesterre-belle-eau, the “maison du café” (house of coffee) in Vieux-Habitant .
There is also an interesting night life in Guadeloupe, I can advise the bar “Le Petit New-York” which is really a typical place with an awesome atmosphere. You can find me there on friday drinking and dancing ! I remember that I met an American girl in this bar which told me that she loves this place because you can come as you are.
In addition, I can advise to eat a “Kassav” on the road of Capesterre belle-eau. This meal (and its preparation) is deeply rooted in our traditions with the ancestral skills and you can find it nowhere else in the world.
Finally, you should absolutely eat the “Agoulou” sandwich in Basse-terre city. I like that ! You can find several food trucks on the promenade at the seafront you cannot miss it 😀

What is your favorite meal ?

As you see I’m a food lover ! My favorite meal is “dombrés au Lambi” (small flour balls in a sauce of queen conch).

If someone asks you what is music in Guadeloupe ?

It’s really simple ! For me the best reference is the music group Kassav. All the musics we found today in the Carribean is an heritage of Kassav. I grew up with Kassav, it’s almost like a religion ! (laugh)
Then you can find Dance-hall, Reggae, Hiphop, Soca music, Zouk Love etc… And today my music is composed of all these musics.

What is your influence ?

So first Kassav (laugh) as I told you !
I like US hip hop singers like Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Method Man & Redman, Common, Snoop Dogg and overall Hiphop of 90s-2000s. Then I like dance-hall a lot, artists like : Busy Signal, Demarco, Aidonia, Assassin aka Agent Sasco and overall dancehall of 2000s.
I also appreciate Guadeloupean hip-hop artists like Fuckly aka Missié GG and Riddla.

What makes you vibrate on stage? What do you want to bring to your public ?

I believe that the groove is above all. On stage I want to create a perfect harmony between my voice what I called the flow and the musical instruments. I’m also a musician : I did piano, drums and saxophone consequently I developed a particular relation with my musicians on stage. I was so influenced by Kassav that I would like to create an unique show for each show. I love to create performing arrangements. I sing for the show, I love that !
If the harmony is perfect, if I’m enjoying myself on stage, I’m sure that the public will enjoy.

Which song should you advise to someone who has never listened to guadeloupean music ?

I think directly about the Kassav song : Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni(that means Zouk music is our unique medicine). This song is strong and raises crowds !

Where is the best place to listen and experience music in Guadeloupe ?

I’m not sure but I will say in the street ! Basically, musics in the cars are good samples of which songs are currently in the charts. For example, I understood that one of my songs was appreciated because the cars were playing my song loudly 😉

You must notice that people like to listen music loudly in Guadeloupe. Cars are equipped with powerful subwoofer.